The U.S. has finalized the assembly of its first B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb, completing the process almost a year earlier than planned and only two years after the program began. Accelerated by more than 25 percent, the milestone was achieved without affecting other modernization projects or compromising safety and security, said Acting Deputy Administrator David Hoagland. The event follows the recent $9-billion modernization of the legacy B61-12 variant. The B61-13 is now one of the quickest-deployed nuclear systems since the Cold War era, bolstering America’s strategic deterrence in the face of mounting international challenges.
